SciConn

❗ Scientific progress is NOT about mixing smart words with crappy data. It is about discoveries and quality data. It is about original ideas. It is about deep thinking. YES, we should publish less. Much less. Overpublishing destroys science. Finding a good study in tons of crap is so HARD today. Getting a big-picture perspective on a field is impossible. We're drowning in low-quality papers. Science = ‘Less is More’. But academia = “Excess is Success". So, we should change these expectations in academia. And we should move away from overpublishing. #science #research #scienceandtechnology

24 Ted Talks That Will Change Your Academic Career In 2024 The Ultimate TED resource to improve key skills like: - Networking - Discipline - Self-confidence + many more 1. Angela Lee Duckworth - "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" https://lnkd.in/ejU5yBf9 2. Kenny Nguyen - "The Art of Saying No" https://lnkd.in/exvC5Pr9 3. Nicholas Christakis - "The Hidden Influence of Social Networks" https://lnkd.in/einwsPTe 4. Dan Gilbert - "The Surprising Science of Happiness" https://lnkd.in/eS9Gg_Jg 5. Elizabeth Blackburn - "The Science of Cells That Never Get Old" https://lnkd.in/eeVZRHM4 6. Tony Robbins - "Why We Do What We Do" https://lnkd.in/eNqS9i7F 7. Sarah Knight - "The Magic of Not Giving a F***” https://lnkd.in/eDxWphaN 8. Shawn Achor - "The Happy Secret to Better Work" https://lnkd.in/eWesNaxz 9. Andy Puddicombe - "The Power of Mindfulness" https://lnkd.in/eW7_kBwV 10. Jia Jiang - "What I Learned from 100 Days of Rejection" https://lnkd.in/eu6hG6qE 11. Pico Iyer - "The Art of Stillness" https://lnkd.in/eszaB5jD 12. Jill Bolte Taylor - "My Stroke of Insight" https://lnkd.in/eSzn9xaA 13. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - "The Danger of a Single Story" https://lnkd.in/ezbjN9X4 14. Andrew Tarvin - "The Skill of Humor" https://lnkd.in/eAVxkHwA 15. Stefan Sagmeister - "The Power of Time Off" https://lnkd.in/eaMC2t_Y 16. Derek Sivers - "How to Start a Movement" https://lnkd.in/eTK-5BN2 17. Simon Sinek - "First Why and Then Trust" https://lnkd.in/ezXwxmkj 18. Manoush Zomorodi - "How Boredom Can Lead to Your Most Brilliant Ideas" https://lnkd.in/eNK_RiYH 19. David Epstein - "Why specializing early doesn't always mean career success" https://lnkd.in/eB-Htrhx 20. Caroline McHugh - "The Art of Being Yourself" https://lnkd.in/etcSsjRH 21. Laura Vanderkam - "How to Gain Control of Your Free Time" https://lnkd.in/e-j-FS6f 22. Rita Pierson - "Every Kid Needs a Champion" https://lnkd.in/e3h-BMcJ 23. Nilofer Merchant - "Got a Meeting? Take a Walk" https://lnkd.in/ejDxed6f 24. Eduardo Briceño - "How to Get Better at the Things You Care About https://lnkd.in/eNmr3-Z9 Which one are you tackling first? ⬇️ ♻️ Repost this to help others in your network And follow Tamas Sohajda and SciConn for more like this.

What's your take on its stress level?

Is this also how you switch off during vacation?

Great collaborations make research enjoyable. Bad collaboration leaves people unhappy. 📍 In BAD collaborations: 1. The authorship list has the researchers with less contribution at the front while strong contributors are placed in the middle. 2. Concerns from collaborators are ignored by the main professor for the sake of ‘publishing the Big Finding’. 3. The professors / senior researchers in one team have radically different vision for the publication (e.g. one pushes for fast publishing while the other wants to get more statistics). 4. The leading PI is pushing hard but the collaborator is not interested and not ready to commit well. As a result, the study slows down and the students are in trouble. 5. One of the professors ‘trades’ their authorship (despite a big contribution) for something to ‘please’ the collaborator. This does happen sometimes. The students do not get their rightful authorship. 6. The collaboration is done for the sake of ‘publishing something’ (increasing the number of papers). (+ many more examples that you can write in the comments) 📍 The way I define a ‘GREAT collaboration’: - It makes everyone happier (everyone is heard, the word is truly joined) - It makes research go faster and deeper - It opens new research questions (e.g. for joint funding proposals) - It benefits everyone’s career (broadly defined) ❗️My message to all Young Professors: A great collaboration is a fulfilling & enjoyable experience. But the bad one can become super-stressful and even break your career. Be VERY careful with whom you collaborate. It’s easy to get ‘hooked’ on the collaboration that you don’t really need. ❗️For me, the collaborator should be: - As interested in the idea as I am - Expert in what he/she is contributing - Financially ‘well set’ and independent (low risk of ‘no more money’) - Easy to talk to and available for extensive discussions - Treating their students correctly and respecting my students Many think that collaborations are easy to do. But in fact - the great ones are really hard to find. #research #science #mechanicalengineering #chemicalengineering #chemistry

Yes, “how long the H-index is” does matter in academia. But for science, it does NOT. Big discoveries are often made by people with small metrics. Examples are: 1. Katalin Karikó got ONLY ~300 citations/year in 2005 when she discovered the potential use of mRNA in therapeutics. 2. Andre Geim had ONLY ~1500 citations/year in 2004 when his team discovered graphene. 3. Frances Arnold got ONLY ~200 citations/year in 1993 when she demonstrated the directed evolution of enzymes. (And many others) 📍 In academia: 1. Faculty positions are much easier to get when you have strong metrics after PhD+postdoc. 2. Funding is much easier to get when you you have big metrics. It’s the case for most countries. 3. Strong postdocs prefer to join groups where professors have big profiles. 📍 In science: 1. Big discoveries do not care about the journal. Publishing in Nature/Science does not turn the study into a discovery. 2. Big ideas do not care about funding. Most discoveries were made without millions of $$$ in allocated budgets. 3. Great talents full of ideas can be found at any place. You don’t need to go to “top university” to find them. ❗️My point is simple: Academia ≠ science. #PhD #research #science

How to deliver a great presentation? To deliver a great presentation, focus on these three key elements: Conciseness: Use fewer words and avoid bullet points. Pair photos and images for better memorability. Visual Aids: Include relevant visuals (e.g., pictures, charts) with large, readable text. Engagement: Share stories, interesting statistics, and brief videos to captivate your audience. Remember to rehearse extensively! 🎤👍

How would Einstein do research in 2024? Albert Einstein’s approach to ideation was unique and contributed significantly to his groundbreaking work. Let’s explore how he thought and what we can learn from his creative process. Combinatory Play: Einstein referred to his creative process as “combinatory play.” Instead of rigidly adhering to conventional thinking, he intentionally engaged in unrelated activities. This allowed his mind to wander freely and make unexpected connections. His famous quote, “I never came upon any of my discoveries through the process of rational thinking,” underscores the importance of divergent thinking and exploration. Avoid Overworking: Einstein believed that creativity was orthogonal to exhaustive work. In other words, pushing yourself too hard doesn’t necessarily lead to innovative ideas. To foster creativity, avoid overworking on a daily basis. Give your mind space to breathe and explore beyond the obvious. Zoom Out for Big Ideas: Instead of digging too deep into a specific problem, Einstein advised zooming out to see the big picture. Sometimes, stepping back allows you to identify novel solutions. Rest and reflection are essential for generating impactful ideas. Diverse Workspaces: Einstein emphasized the importance of diverse workspaces. For him, Stanford’s flourishing alleys provided inspiration during walks, rather than being confined to an office. Consider different environments—whether it’s a kitchen, gym, or outdoor space—to defocus from routine tasks and stimulate creativity. Enjoy Life While Creating: Defocusing doesn’t mean your brain stops thinking. You can enjoy life while your mind continues to make an impact. So, embrace “combinatory play,” take breaks, and explore various settings. Your best ideas might emerge when you least expect them. Remember, creativity thrives when we allow our minds to wander and connect seemingly unrelated dots. 🌟🧠✨. #research #science #phd #creativity

A student asked today if they could use emojis in a PhD thesis. The instinct answer came: Absolutely NOOO. Then she asked: WHY? Giving it some thought, we could not come up with an absolutely clear and rational reason. So eventually, gave a GREEN LIGHT. What is your position on this? What will a PhD thesis in 10-20-50 years look like?

Yann LeCun: “If you do research and don’t publish, it’s not Science. Research must be correct and reproducible.” Elon Musk: “Our mission of understanding the universe […] requires maximally rigorous pursuit of the truth, without regard to popularity or political correctness” 📍 However, even among scientists, “doing science” does not always equate to “doing genuine research.” Reproducibility Crisis: In fields like chemistry, medicine, biology, and physics, a significant portion of work remains irreproducible. The ability to replicate experiments and obtain consistent results is crucial for scientific progress. Awful Statistics: Some research suffers from poor statistical practices. Researchers may cherry-pick data or draw broad conclusions from a limited sample size. Methodological Expertise: Mistakes and misinterpretations often lurk in scientific publications. Even well-known scientists occasionally use methods without deep expertise in those areas. Asking Deep Questions: Many scientists stick to mainstream topics, avoiding riskier research. However, true breakthroughs come from asking novel and profound questions. 📍 My Point: Science is gaining public attention due to new technologies, discoveries, and social media. It’s crucial to maintain high-quality research: Be bold and explore uncharted territory. Publish rigorously and only when the study meets robust standards. Real science withstands the test of time, and you have the power to uphold its integrity. 🌟 Tamas Sohajda #science #research #education #publishing